Tōtsuki Autumn Election Arc
The Tōtsuki Autumn Election Arc is the fourth story arc of the Shokugeki no Soma series. It focuses on the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election, an important event during the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation's first year where the chosen sixty first-year students fight their way to earn their right into the Autumn Election's Main Tournament. Summary Prologue :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 39 to Chapter 40 ::Anime: Episode 18 Returning from their break, after an intense round of ping pong at Polar Star Dormitory, Satoshi Isshiki informed everyone that Megumi Tadokoro, Sōma Yukihira, Zenji Marui, and Shun Ibusaki had been selected to participate in the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election. Although Ryōko Sakaki and Yūki Yoshino were disheartened to know that they were not selected, Satoshi informed them that there were still twenty spots that needed to be filled. Sōma decided to take a walk and began thinking of his dish for the election. Suddenly, Sōma was summoned by a group of male students to meet Etsuya Eizan, the 9th seat of the Elite Ten Council. In Etsuya's office, Etsuya told Sōma that he had heard about the Sumire Karaage Roll and was impressed by it since it put Mozuya, which he was helping to operate, into financial distress. Sōma was given a lucrative offer from Etsuya to work under him, but Sōma refused. Then, Etsuya declared that the Autumn Election would mark the end of Sōma's "upstart". Meanwhile, the Elite Ten Council was finalizing the last participants for the elections. Erina Nakiri protested the inclusion of Sōma, but most of the council already decided that Sōma's worthiness was already confirmed. Satoshi and Etsuya defended Sōma's inclusion. A few days after, the students of the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation gathered on campus for the official announcement of the Preliminary Participants. Along with the four that Satoshi had confirmed, Yūki and Ryōko were also selected, as well as other notable 92nd Generation participants. Sōma met up with Alice Nakiri who told him that most of the current Elite Ten Council members, barring Erina, were once participants in the Autumn Elections. Thus, the successors of the Elite Ten would come from the 60 participants. As Alice departed, she told Sōma that she could not wait for the day that they, along with Erina, fight over the Elite Ten. Meanwhile, Fumio Daimidō was preparing a celebration for the comeback of the Golden Age at Polar Star Dormitory. Jōichirō Yukihira arrived unexpectedly at the dormitory and greeted Fumio, who nostalgically said he should at least call ahead of time if he planned to come back, lacking common sense as ever. The Asura of Cooking :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 41 to Chapter 43 ::Anime: Episode 15 to Episode 16 Afterwards, everyone returned to Polar Star where, upon entering the kitchen, Sōma found Jōichirō cooking. Fumio told everyone that Jōichirō was a former Polar Star member and a 2nd seat in the Elite Ten Council, much to Sōma's surprise. But Sōma surprised the dorm further by revealing that Jōichirō is his father. Jōichirō was greeted by Satoshi as a fellow member of the Elite Ten. Then Jōichirō revealed a lavish feast for the Polar Star residents. His dishes were well received by everyone for their international aspects. All of Polar Star females and even some of the males, Zenji and Daigo Aoki, were charmed by his mature, manly sex appeal. Unfortunately, Zenji ate one of Jōichirō's "experiential" dishes, revealing how Sōma picked up the same habit to everyone else. Fumio mentioned Jōichirō was once called an "Asura" but now he cooks with kindness. Then she showed a picture of Jōichirō and Gin Dōjima back in their second year in Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, adding that these two were the central pillars that bought upon the Polar Star's Golden Age. Afterwards, Jōichirō revealed that Sōma's room, Room 303, was previously his room as well. Later that night, Satoshi spoke to Jōichirō and learned much of Sōma's source of strength. It was not an innate talent, but Sōma's courage and ability to push through trial and error to get where he wants to. The next day, Jōichirō woke Sōma up early and summoned him to the kitchen to test Sōma in another cooking duel. At the time, Satoshi, Fumio, and Megumi were awake and the three served as judges. Tasked with the challenge of making a revitalizing breakfast, Sōma and Jōichirō began their challenge. Sōma presented his dish first, an Apple Risotto. The dish was well received by the judges, but Jōichirō's Jōichirō Special Rich Ramen ultimately won in the end. In the aftermath of the battle, Sōma was praised by Jōichirō for how much he had grown and encouraged him to continue doing so. However, he took a few seconds to throw some verbal jabs at Sōma as he marked this as another loss in his journal. Just later, Yūki entered the room to reveal their dish theme for the Preliminaries: Curry. As Jōichirō prepared to leave, he suggested that Sōma should see Jun Shiomi, a spice expert and an old friend from the Polar Star Golden Era for input. When Sōma and Megumi was getting ready to head off, Fumio told them Jōichirō had already departed. As Erina returned to the Academy after performing her duty as an Elite Ten member, during her car ride back, Erina sensed Jōichirō's presence, who had just left Polar Star Dormitory. Erina immediately stopped the car and jumped out, hoping to catch a glimpse of her idol. To her dismay, he was nowhere in sight. Preparation :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 44 to Chapter 46 ::Anime: Episode 20 With a map from Fumio, Sōma and Megumi eventually arrived at the Shiomi Seminar. Entering the building, Sōma and Megumi found a young girl on the ground, busy making spice mixtures. Sōma told the girl if she could tell Jun that he had come to ask for her help as suggested by his father. As Sōma told the girl that he was Jōichirō Saiba's son, the girl immediately punched him, revealing that she was in fact Jun Shiomi and that she did not want to remember him. As Sōma laid on the ground, a dark-skinned boy entered the room. Recovering from the punch, Jun revealed that Jōichirō used to use her as a taste tester for many of his failed dishes, causing permanent emotional trauma from the experience. Though she initially only agreed to help Megumi, thanks to her assistant, Akira Hayama, Jun decided to help Sōma out. With Jun too engrossed in her explanation, Akira invited Sōma and Megumi into the kitchen to try some of his spice dishes. Akira quickly made multiple curry dishes. Though Megumi was impressed by the dishes alone, Sōma noticed that Akira never looked at the pot as he cooked, using only the aroma to sense the delicate changes as he cooked. Akira then told Sōma that he remembered his entrance speech and has kept record of his many feats in the academy, but told him that his amusing dishes are not enough to seize the top. When Akira declared that he would be the one to stand at the top of Tōtsuki, Sōma thanked him for the food and promised to give him a curry at the preliminaries that would beat his curry, sparking another rivalry for Sōma. (To be added) Preliminary Round :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 47 to Chapter 59 ::Anime: Episode 20 to Episode 24 Road to the Main Tournament :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 60 to Chapter 61 ::Anime: Episode 24 to Episode 25 Main Tournament: Quarterfinals :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 62 to Chapter 80 ::Anime: Episode 25 to Episode 28 Road to the Semifinals :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 80 to Chapter 84 ::Anime: Episode 29 Semifinals :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 85 to Chapter 93 ::Anime: Episode 29 to Episode 32 Road to the Finals :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 94 to Chapter 96 ::Anime: Episode 32 Finals :Duration: ::Manga: Chapter 97 to Chapter 104 ::Anime: Episode 33 to Episode 34 Short Summary *The next 92nd Tōtsuki Generation event, the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election, begins. *60 92nd Generation students including Sōma, Megumi, most of the Polar Star residents, all of Sōma's rivals and numerous other students are selected to participate in the Election. *Sōma formally meets Etsuya Eizan. *Jōichirō Yukihira visits Polar Star Dormitory, but promptly leaves after a day to return to freelance cooking. **Sōma learns that his father was a former Tōtsuki student and Elite Ten Council member. **It is revealed that Jōichirō and Gin were former Polar Star residents, as well as central pillars for its "Golden Era". *Sōma meets Jun Shiomi and her assistant Akira Hayama. The latter becomes Sōma's main rival throughout the Election. *At the end of the preliminaries, Sōma, Megumi, Alice, Akira, Hisako, Ryō, Takumi, and Subaru advance to the main tournament. *Sōma defeats Alice in the quarterfinals. *Ryō defeats Megumi in the quarterfinals. *Akira defeats Hisako in the quarterfinals. **Hisako takes a self-imposed leave of absence from Tōtsuki as a result of her loss. *Takumi has a Shokugeki against Subaru in their quarterfinal match and loses. **Takumi loses possession of his Mezzaluna as a result. *Sōma has a Shokugeki against Subaru in the semifinals and wins. **All of the knives Subaru claimed through his Shokugeki''s are returned. **Takumi leaves his ''Mezzaluna in Sōma's possession until he can win it in a duel between the two. *Akira and Ryō tie their semifinal match, leading to a three-way battle royale in the finals. *Akira emerges victorious as the winner of the 43rd Annual Autumn Election. New Characters Cooking Duels * Sōma Yukihira Vs. Jōichirō Yukihira (490th match) * Sōma Yukihira Vs. Alice Nakiri * Megumi Tadokoro Vs. Ryō Kurokiba * Hisako Arato Vs. Akira Hayama * Aldini Vs. Mimasaka Quarterfinal Shokugeki * Yukihira Vs. Mimasaka Semifinal Shokugeki * Ryō Kurokiba Vs. Akira Hayama * Sōma Yukihira Vs. Ryō Kurokiba Vs. Akira Hayama Trivia *This arc is currently the longest, lasting 66 chapters. Category:Story Arc Category:Tōtsuki Autumn Election Arc